Infiltration

"Infiltration" by Algis Budrys is a science fiction story that looks at what it means to be human, the will to live, and a battle between two groups called Insurgents and Watchers. These groups live in a world where people can change into different forms through a process called "chrysalids.” The story is about an Insurgent who gets stuck on a weird planet, and he has to fight against the Watchers, who try to keep the chrysalids in line. He thinks about who he is and shows us the hard choices that both groups have to make. As the Insurgent faces the results of what he's done and a coming fight with the Watchers, he wants revenge and to figure things out. This leads to a big showdown that makes us think about power, duty, and what it means to be brothers. In the end, the book asks important questions about what it means to be human and how hard it is to live together in a broken world.